Mis-fitting Menstrual Hygiene Products: An Examination of Advertisements to Identify Gaps in the Diffusion of Innovation

Author: Arpan Yagnik, Pennsylvania State University, Erie, United States of America
Email: arpanyagnik@gmail.com
Published: December 2016
https://doi.org/10.22492/ijpbs.2.3.03

Citation: Yagnik, A. (2016). Mis-fitting Menstrual Hygiene Products: An Examination of Advertisements to Identify Gaps in the Diffusion of Innovation. IAFOR Journal of Psychology & the Behavioral Sciences, 2(3). https://doi.org/10.22492/ijpbs.2.3.03


Abstract

This research examines advertisements for menstrual hygiene products to discover the roadblocks in the diffusion of innovation of menstrual hygiene products. The objective is to evaluate the advertisements to comprehend the cultural relevance of the diffusion, justify the rate of diffusion of innovation, identify the bottlenecks prohibiting the diffusion, and suggest ideas for a successful diffusion of innovation. A convenient sample of 75 television advertisements and print advertisements of sanitary hygiene products was selected for analysis. Using thematic analysis this research identifies and extracts themes that are the potential bottlenecks to successful diffusion of innovation. The main themes identified were the assumption regarding the knowledge of usage, knowledge of disposal, knowledge of sharing, existing clothing standards, affordability, role of woman, and comfort with insertion. The discovery of themes not only demonstrate ignorance and incompetent market research but also give us a sense of the glacial diffusion of menstrual hygiene products in the recipient country.

Keywords

advertisements, menstruation, market research, innovation, adoption